Europe has been firmly entrenched in my day dreams from a young age. My first trip was back to my parents home country of Greece for 3 months of island hopping to see my family when I was 13 years old. Each country I have visited and loved to return again a few years later. I always return to firm favourite spots and add some new destinations to enjoy the best of both worlds.
For a first time visit to Europe, as a beach lover I would recommend getting a flight into Spain to begin. Flights tend to be less expensive from Canada to France, UK or Spain. Enjoy a few days on the coast and take a cheap inter Europe flight to Italy and then ferry to Croatia from Bari. Greece should be left as a trip on it’s own. Even the first exploratory trip. You could spend months and never see it all.
Country Guides
Top 5 Beaches for Sun lovers in Europe
Ignoring the beautiful mainland beaches and focusing on the best islands where you are spoiled for choices. Beach hopping heavens!
Top 5 Adventures for Nature lovers in Europe
My top choices for animals, divine views and off the beaten path adventure . So far!
Check out the specific country guides (as they get posted) for more ideas.
1. Admiring through endless waterfalls in Plitvice, Croatia
Waterfalls are pure Summer joy. Plitivh park was on my top 5 must do destinations for about a decade and it did not disappoint! Spend the entire day hiking through a 295 sp. km forest reserve jammed with 16 connected lakes and a zillion waterfalls. You aren’t allowed to swim in the water and the colours are a memorable blue reminiscent of Alberta in Canada! Truly a must go for any waterfall lover. I can’t wait to go back.
2. Hiking through 5 seaside villages. Cinque Terre, Italy
This picturesque chain of 5 seaside villages was one of my most memorable adventures in Italy! Manarola, Vernazza, Riomaggiore, Monterosso, Corniglia. Each of the villages has it’s own charms and are picture perfect! There a couple of trail options but I really loved the coastal walk that went up and down the rolling hills with glorious views. Figure out your chosen starting point and start early and don’t forget to make some noise if you’re hiking alone. I snuck up on a wild boar when I was hiking at 6 a.m. Luckily we were both suprised and went our own ways. The entire path can be done in about 6 hours or you can break it up into shorter hikes and take the train to where you left off!
4. Snorkeling for Octopus in Crete, Greece.
Greece is famous for many things and one of the lesser known things is the abundant Octopus. My favourite moments are admiring them rather than eating them. They can be found when snorkeling off of many Greek beaches but my best experiences were in Naxos. You have to pay close attention but you can spot them on the sea floor hiding in the reefs and rocks. Squid are also frequent and magical to see swimming in formations!
4. Beach adventures in Tossa De Mar, Spain.
Located a mere 100 km North of Barcelona and close to the French border, the Costa Brava coastline is divine. The rugged stone structures, lush green plantlife and deep blues have stolen the hearts of more than a few. I rented a manual car, by myself and drove up the coast to find this hidden gem. Tons of water activities including paddleboarding and kayaking. The idyllic European beach town with lots of history, beautiful views, warm people and fun activities. Yes please! If you have more time, consider crossing into France to explore their Southern countryside.
5. Garden wandering in Ravello, Italy
Perched 365 meters above the Tyrrhenian Sea on the Amalfi Coast in Italy is the prettiest garden town of all. Gorgeous Mediterranean style gardens fill the cliffside and the views are from the pages of the Rich & Famous. I would recommend going just for the gardens but there are also music festivals that the city is famous for. I hope to return and experience them for myself.
When Should I go to Europe ?
Some of my favourite experiences in Europe.
Europe is amazing! So much history, architecture, culture…and FOOD did I mention the food? My favourite experiences in Europe almost always involve a bit of partying but hey, you only live once.
1. Bar hopping and dancing until the sunrise – Ios, Greece
That week spent enjoying 4 nights of little sleep and maximum enjoyment still linger and always cause me to grin. Ios is made to party with tons of great little bars lining it’s maze of white cobbled winding streets. Party until the sun comes up then find your way down to one of either 2 amazing beaches to enjoy the warm ocean before the next party.
2. Eating sliced tomatoes as a meal – Sorrento, Italy
You haven’t tasted a tomato until you’ve had one hand picked from a garden in Southern Italy. Straight from the garden to your plate, sliced in generous slices all the way through and drizzled with home made balsamic. Ahhhhhhh! The taste was so sweet and beautiful, nothing has compared since. We happily ate the tomato and rinsed it down with a large glass of Italian Red filled with fresh peach chunks. YES!
3. Admiring the cool & unusual architechture in Barcelona, Spain.
There may be a theme to my favourite things. Arriving on a Full Moon evening and being taken to the moon lite beach where a bamboo stage had been constructed over the water. A great band played covers on the stage and we danced in the waves all night long.
4. Enjoying the haunting tunes of the Sea Organ in Zadar, Croatia.
Zadar the lovely. I only got to spend 2 nights with my daughter as we started our adventure through Croatia but I wished it was more. Perfect little beach town with hipster, live music vibes & lots of places to dance the nights away. The coastline was stunning and this Sea Organ was the cherry on top of it all. Waves came into the different chambers underneath and changed depending on the conditions. We sat there for quite awhile as the sun went down.
5. Learning the history & touring the Catacombs of Paris, France.
I didn’t even know the catacombs of Paris existed before planning our stop in Paris. It’s an interesting history and crazy that the remains of 6 million people are down there. The skulls are femurs were used to create art.
Best way to travel around Europe
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Travel in Europe can be easy but not the most budget friendly. The cheapest way to travel around Europe is by bus followed by trains or flights. It really depends on how much time you have verses your budget. Most countries in Europe are easily connected to their neighbors and it would be quite easy to fly into one country and take a bus or train to another one nearby. Recent trends in ride sharing have made things a little easier but it’s best to plan out your transportation before hand when traveling in Europe to avoid unpleasant and costly surprises.
BUS OPTIONS:
- FLIXBUS The latest and greatest entrant for bus companies travelling within Europe. FlixBus has routes in 20 European countries and thousands of cities. Prices are very reasonable, starting as low 5 euros. Buses include Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, up to three three free bags, and wide comfy seats. My first choice for bus travel
- MEGABUS – We have Mega bus routes here in Canada as well! Less comfy than Flixbus above, it is still a solid choice if you plan on travelling to the more Northern countries. UK, Holland, France & Scotland. Tickets can cost as little as 1 GBP if you book at least a month in advance on popular routes.
- BUSABOUT – A little different from the above choices; this bus line operates as a HOP ON, HOP OFF adventure. Popular with backpackers that have an extended period in Europe allowing to easily hit many different spots with ease. You can buy tickets for their routes with a set number of stops and the packages often include a guide and even some group activities! For appx. $360 CAD you can grab a 2 week flex pass which gives you 9 stops! Not too shabby. Going to be in Europe for 6 months? They offer the best overall value…as long as all your destinations are on their route plan. Grab a $1750 unlimited passes and adventure on!
TRAIN OPTIONS:
Trains are such a comfortable and romantic way to see Europe. You can travel across long distances quickly and still enjoy the passing views. The Euro rail system is one of the best in the world and routes are extensive. For short haul travel, city to city / short hops across countries; travel by train is budget friendly. However, longer adventures that require a longer route or high speed train can be quite pricey. Research RAIL PASSES if you plan on using this method of travelling as it will save you loads over individual tickets each time.
FLIGHTS OPTIONS:
I tend use budget airlines when hopping across Europe. We don’t tend to get more than a few weeks off a time here and that time is precious! Lots of airlines competing for your attention on the continent have brought down prices and flying can be quite inexpensive here. Always check an airlines rating before booking to avoid the ones that don’t quite make it in customer satisfaction. Another BIG TIP – Budget airlines make their money on FEES. Read the conditions of your booking carefully especially weight limits on baggage, printing out your own boarding pass and changes to tickets.
I use Momondo & SkyScanner to find the best deals. Some airlines require you to book on their own sites.
FERRY OPTIONS:
There are many ferries in the Mediteranean region that can be used to island or country hop. They tend to be slow but budget friendly for short hops . Ferries can take you from Italy to Croatia from Bari. Ferries also take thousands of people and sometimes their cars to the Greek islands. You may also ferry onward to Turkey from Rhodes.
Prices can really vary and the more popular routes should be booked in advance.
Some cost examples: (1 person one way, no car)
Bari Italy to Dubrovnik, Croatia 260-330 Euro’s or $ 400 CAD
Athens to Mykonos $210- 300 CAD
There are many different ferry companies. Do your research and check customer feedback prior to booking. If you are going on a longer ride, be aware they can be quite rocky, People prone to getting sea sick be warned.
RIDE SHARING – Bla Bla Car
Save Money by Ride Sharing Throughout Europe.
The rise of the sharing economy has allowed people to hop a ride with locals going their way, and BlaBlaCar is the reigning king of this service. It’s hugely popular and widespread in Europe just like Uber is in Canada. It lets you rideshare with people who have extra space in their car. You find a ride, they agree to take you, and off you go. You can find rides for as little as 5 euros.
Packing Tips & Hacks for Europe
What to bring and some tips to make life easier while you’re there! Please note pack lists are only for Summer travel.
Packing tips for Europe. Less is always more! No matter how long are you are travelling for, you will be packing for 7-9 days of mix and match outfits. Clothes for all body types can be found in Europe so you can always buy something if you need it. Europe can get cool in the evenings and sometimes the trains / buses are too cold so make sure you bring layers.
Clothes
- yoga pants – lightweight and comfy. You will wear this on any plane rides, overnight bus rides.
- capri pants – basic black or white
- 1 hoodie with extra long sleeve and hood – lightweight (plane & cold train rides)
- 1 compressable vest to layer over hoodie as needed
- 1 long sleeve shirt..very light but comfy. Use as above & cool nights.
- 2-3 shorts – lightweight only. Skorts counts. Casual to Dressy
- 1 T shirt – nice quality and flattering. Easy dry.
- 1-3 dresses! Weight is everything. Short, light & colorful.
- 7 underwear – I split with 2 brief style/ 5 thongs
- 1 Bra – good quality can go with anything fall back. I usually use my bikini tops for everyday beach life.
- 2-3 Bikini Tops Bring a basic black, light colour & something fun. Doubles as bras 😉
- 2 bikini Bottoms – to complement or match the above.
- 1 pair socks ( I hate socks)
- 1 pair runners or adventure shoes ( flip flops with straps count if you stay on the beach)
- 1 pair flip flps
- 1 pair lightweight/packable slip ons – black
Other Key Gear
- Sarong! Can be used as a beach towel, wrap, dress or emergency towel /blanket
- Scarf – lightweight, warm & colourful
- Travel Towel – worth the investment for a SMALL quick dry towel that doesn’t take up space.
- Combination or keyed lock
- Ziplock bags – 2 XL, 2 Large and 3 small
- Waterproof Bag – bring a small one, buy a big one there
- Carabineers – at least 2 good ones.
- LED lights – small lightweight
- Phone charging cable – extra long
- Power Banks (2) light weight and charged
- Day Bag – I like a drawer string type.
- Unlock Phone
- Mini Tri Pod
- Camera of Choice
- Ipad ( for longer trips, worth the effort to haul it)
What will you spend in Europe?
Europe can be expensive. Plan ahead to cut down on costs.
Articles about Europe
So many stories, so little time. Stay tuned as articles are added.
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